No Easy Day : The Only First Hand Account of the Navy SEAL Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden

Description

For the first time anywhere, the first-person account of the planning and execution of the Bin Laden raid from a Navy Seal who confronted the terrorist mastermind and witnessed his final moments. From the streets of Iraq to the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean, and from the mountaintops of Afghanistan to the third floor of Osama Bin Laden's compound, operator Mark Owen of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group - commonly known as SEAL Team Six - has been a part of some of the most memorable special operations in history, as well as countless missions that never made headlines. No Easy Day puts readers alongside Owen and the other handpicked members of the twenty-four-man team as they train for the biggest mission of their lives. The blow-by-blow narrative of the assault, beginning with the helicopter crash that could have ended Owen's life straight through to the radio call confirming Bin Laden's death, is an essential piece of modern history. In No Easy Day, Owen also takes readers onto the field of battle in America's ongoing War on Terror and details the selection and training process for one of the most elite units in the military.
Owen's story draws on his youth in Alaska and describes the SEALs' quest to challenge themselves at the highest levels of physical and mental endurance. With boots-on-the-ground detail, Owen describes numerous previously unreported missions that illustrate the life and work of a SEAL and the evolution of the team after the events of September 11. In telling the true story of the SEALs whose talents, skills, experiences, and exceptional sacrifices led to one of the greatest victories in the War on Terror, Mark Owen honors the men who risk everything for their country.show more

About Owen, Mark

Mark Owen is a former member of the US Naval Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as SEAL Team Six. In his many years as a Navy SEAL, he has participated in hundreds of missions around the globe, including the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean in 2009. Owen was a team leader on Operation Neptune Spear in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on 1 May 2011, which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. Owen was one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist mastermind's hideout, where he witnessed bin Laden's death. Mark Owen's name and the names of the other SEALs mentioned in this book have been changed for their security. Kevin Maurer has covered special-operations forces for nine years. He has been embedded with the Special Forces in Afghanistan six times, spent a month in 2006 with special-operations units in east Africa, and has embedded with US forces in Iraq and Haiti. He is the author of four books, including several about special operations.show more

Customer reviews

I received this book as a gift and found it very easy to read. Being Ex-Military myself I found that it wasn't heavy on the jargon, acronyms or Military phrases and those that were present are easily understandable (a statement confirmed by my non military father who has now also read it).
The book goes into detail regarding the infamous raid in May 2011, where Navy Seals raided the compound in Abbottabad (this should be obvious as it is stated on the front cover) but also covers the Author's early pre-service life and the (demanding) day to day training and conduct of these US Navy elites.
Incredible book. picked it up, 12 hours later, I put it down completed. Highly recommend it. Perfect for a serviceman heading on deployment or to anyone with a passion for Military history.
I don't usually [Read: never before] write book reviews, in fact I am one of those people who always thinks "what **** gives that much of a **** they go and write a review about a Book or Restaurant etc...
Well...look at me now. It is that good.show more